The name Kambray arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Kambray family lived in Leicestershire. The family name, though, is a reference to the area of Cambrai, near Falaise, in Normandy. Originally erected in the 6th century as the Diocese of Cambrai, its jurisdiction was immense and included even Brussels and Antwerp.

Kambray Early Origins

The surname Kambray was first found in Leicestershire, where Godridius (Geoffroi) de Chambrai was awarded estates in return for his service to William the Conqueror. Wace, the Norman poet, mentions Cil de Combrai as one of the knights who challenged King Harold to come forth at Senlac in 1066 and this is probably a reference to Geoffroi de Cambrai.

Kambray Spelling Variations

Kambray Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Cambrey, Cambray, Cambrai, Combray, Cambreye, Camray and many more.

Kambray Early History

Kambray Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kambray research. Another 495 words (35 lines of text) covering the years 1165, 1199, 1203, 1273, 1500, 1664, 1701, 1798 and 1806 are included under the topic Early Kambray History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kambray Early Notables (pre 1700)

Kambray Early Notables (pre 1700)

Another 21 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kambray Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

The Great Migration

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Kambray or a variant listed above: Joseph Cambrey who arrived in Philadelphia in 1847.

Skordas, Guest. Ed. The Early Settlers of Maryland an Index to Names or Immigrants Complied from Records of Land Patents 1633-1680 in the Hall of Records Annapolis, Maryland. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1968. Print.

Crozier, William Armstrong Edition. Crozier's General Armory A Registry of American Families Entitled to Coat Armor. New York: Fox, Duffield, 1904. Print.

...

The Kambray Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Kambray Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.